The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1887-05-07
Current Events.


s,n Texas and Arizona Territory were Vis-
tied by an earthquake. While no one was
Injured so far as reported and compare
tivoly little damage done nevertheless ''he
shock changed the face of nature iof All
time 10 come, and opened new, or reopeneo
old, ,vOlcanos. Only because OF the sparse
nonnlation of the country was the shock
unacoompanied by great loss OF lie ano
property. The first report OF the SHOCK
came fsom FL Paso, Texas, where there was
n general shaking up; but no damage done.
The next news came from Tucson, Arizona
interesting to many old settlers MS the pres
ent home of Surveyor General John dise,
formerly Cf this county. In the city the
damage WAS slight, but when the shock
struck the mountains In sight OF the CITY
great slices of the mountain sides were
torn off and fell to the base like al avail
auch of SNOW; cold Castle mountain
peak, prominent land mark, has entirely
disappeared! Shortly after the shock
miles south of the city, brilliantly illumin-
ating the sky, and the smoke and fire re-
Election from others at various distances
from the city became visible. A lake 10
miles from Tombstone covering an acre
of ground dried up in 20 minutes. A vol
canic eruption took place In the MILESTONE
mountains. 70 miles from Benson, and lava
and smoke could be seen on the mountain
from that city, while three other VOLCANOES
are reported visible from Benson
In the legislature on Tuesday the com
mittee investigating the printing contract
of Messrs Rocker Il Co. made majority
and minority reports to the senate. The
majority report as their findings that there
was a com bination of the printers of tie
town TO gobble the work and divide. Rok-
ker L. Co. got the job, and paid the others
various amounts from $3.50 paid to A, Cur
ney, formerly of the city to $1,000 each
for their shares In the deal and their silence
on the subject The total cost of state print.
Ing for the two years will he $10, 1910
and that all of the appropriation except
S9,l12 OJ has been absorbed, so that If the
contract is carried out the appropriation
will be oyerdrawn. The committee rec
Ommend that In view Of the manner In
which the contract was obtained by Rokker
d. Co. 1t be abrogated at once. The minor
ity concur In the majority report but say
and thereupon they offer a series of reso
lutions to the effect that the commissioners
who let the contract were totally devoid OF
ordinary business sense, and by their &c
ton deserve the censure OF the entire body
of tax payers, and that the Secretary OF
State "has rendered himself liable rs acCes
sory after the fact" The whole business
was grand swindle In act and purpose
and that there could be found anyone to de
fend 1t Is amazing. The contractors o
course enter protest, on the ground tina
they were debarred representation by coun
sci and because they were allowed to offe
no evidence 70 show their partnership lega
and the volume of work a matter they ar
not responsible for.
The spring boom Of The year will douo
less 20 the way of the boom OF year az
If the numbers of strikes continues eas
and west. In Pittsburgh the glass me
have settled their differences, but on Mon
day great strike began In the Connesvill
coke region, where upwards OF l,2OO COX
ovens have shut down, and from 10000 I
$4,000 worth of coke burned up In on
day. There is no trouble rs yet but 1t ma
be some time before even an effort to Sc
tie the difference will be made. In Chicag
the strikes of hod carriers and laborers hs
again interfered with building, while var
GUS other difficulties In all parts of the couI
try--stoye molders at Milwaukee and Oh
cago, brickmakers at Omaha, coopers
Milwaukee, lumber haulers In Indian
bakers In Erie, &c, &C. al lib. are doin
much to create uneasiness again. The Fiji
Glass Workers II is stated, will not mai
\ demand for advance of wages for ne
fire. all being satisfied with the prese
rates.